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A rare late 19th century gem-set princely gold ring made in Siam (Thailand). The ring takes the form of a mythical winged bird, possibly the Garuda bird.
Prevalent throughout Buddhism and Southeast Asian art, the Garuda or ‘Phra Khrut Pha’ ( พระครุฑพ่าห์ ) is a divine eagle-like sun bird and the king of birds. The mythical creature has been used as a symbol of royalty in Siam for centuries, and in 1911 it was adopted by Vajiravudh (Rama VI) as the national emblem of Thailand.
This is an extremely fine example of the lavish adornment paraphernalia commissioned and subsequently bestowed by the Kings of Siam in the 19th century, principally to be worn by participants in royal and aristocratic life-cycle ceremonies in the courts of Bangkok.
These princely rings would be made by the royal goldsmiths of the court of Bangkok. Aside from ceremonial use, rings like this one were also occasionally given as gifts to important visitors or other aristocratic families.
Examples of these lavish jewels being worn can be seen on old photos and paintings of life-cycle ceremonies such as the Royal Tonsure Ceremony, also known as ‘the cutting of the top-knot’ ceremony, which marked the transition into adulthood for all of the (many!) sons and daughters of the Siam royal family.
The huge expansion in the number of royals in 19th century Siam stemmed from Kings Mongkut (Rama IV) and Chulalongkorn (Rama V) being highly polygamous. They had a joint total of 124 wives and 159 royal children, each requiring their own ceremonial regalia and princely jewels. As a result, Bangkok became home to some incredibly skilled goldsmiths in this period.
This heavy 22K gold ring is a testament to the craftsmanship of the courtly Siam goldsmiths. The bezel head is composed of two layers, the uppermost, containing the large slightly larger rose cut black diamond, is riveted to the main body of the ring and allows for small rotation. The second layer features a spray of rose cut black diamonds in bezel settings with beaded and granulated rims, a feature of Siam jewellery of the period. There is also a star ruby cabochon, probably depicting the red face of the mythical bird. The band features an intricately engraved scrollwork pattern with pierced openwork sections.
Size: UK size J, US size 4.75
The face (bird) of the ring measures 27mm x 20mm and the central rose cut and ruby cabochon both have a diameter of 3.5mm. The ring weighs a total of 10.65 grams.
Upon magnification, the outer band carries a French gold import control mark, a requirement from when it would have been brought into the country at a later date. Following the relocation of the Thai monarchy to Switzerland in the 1930’s and 1940’s, other family members followed and settled in Europe (particularly France). Subsequently princely Thai items like this one occasionally appear on the open art market in Europe.
A rare late 19th century gem-set princely gold ring made in Siam (Thailand). The ring takes the form of a mythical winged bird, possibly the Garuda bird.
Prevalent throughout Buddhism and Southeast Asian art, the Garuda or ‘Phra Khrut Pha’ ( พระครุฑพ่าห์ ) is a divine eagle-like sun bird and the king of birds. The mythical creature has been used as a symbol of royalty in Siam for centuries, and in 1911 it was adopted by Vajiravudh (Rama VI) as the national emblem of Thailand.
This is an extremely fine example of the lavish adornment paraphernalia commissioned and subsequently bestowed by the Kings of Siam in the 19th century, principally to be worn by participants in royal and aristocratic life-cycle ceremonies in the courts of Bangkok.
These princely rings would be made by the royal goldsmiths of the court of Bangkok. Aside from ceremonial use, rings like this one were also occasionally given as gifts to important visitors or other aristocratic families.
Examples of these lavish jewels being worn can be seen on old photos and paintings of life-cycle ceremonies such as the Royal Tonsure Ceremony, also known as ‘the cutting of the top-knot’ ceremony, which marked the transition into adulthood for all of the (many!) sons and daughters of the Siam royal family.
The huge expansion in the number of royals in 19th century Siam stemmed from Kings Mongkut (Rama IV) and Chulalongkorn (Rama V) being highly polygamous. They had a joint total of 124 wives and 159 royal children, each requiring their own ceremonial regalia and princely jewels. As a result, Bangkok became home to some incredibly skilled goldsmiths in this period.
This heavy 22K gold ring is a testament to the craftsmanship of the courtly Siam goldsmiths. The bezel head is composed of two layers, the uppermost, containing the large slightly larger rose cut black diamond, is riveted to the main body of the ring and allows for small rotation. The second layer features a spray of rose cut black diamonds in bezel settings with beaded and granulated rims, a feature of Siam jewellery of the period. There is also a star ruby cabochon, probably depicting the red face of the mythical bird. The band features an intricately engraved scrollwork pattern with pierced openwork sections.
Size: UK size J, US size 4.75
The face (bird) of the ring measures 27mm x 20mm and the central rose cut and ruby cabochon both have a diameter of 3.5mm. The ring weighs a total of 10.65 grams.
Upon magnification, the outer band carries a French gold import control mark, a requirement from when it would have been brought into the country at a later date. Following the relocation of the Thai monarchy to Switzerland in the 1930’s and 1940’s, other family members followed and settled in Europe (particularly France). Subsequently princely Thai items like this one occasionally appear on the open art market in Europe.
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